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Is that foot broken or just bruised? If the pinky toe you caught on the edge of the bed
is broken, is there anything a doctor can do for you that you can’t do at home with some
tape and ice?

Good questions, with not-always-clear answers.

Doctors say if you’re uncertain about the severity of the injury, it’s a good idea to see them,
get an X-ray and dispel any doubt.

It’s fairly common for patients to linger in denial, cringing through weeks on serious foot
injuries. And sometimes they wait so long that repair and recovery get more complicated. (Nobody
wants a surgeon to have to re-break a bone so it can heal properly.)

On the other hand, most straightforward broken toes are going to be treated with things you
probably have in your medicine cabinet and first-aid kit.

“The reality is, most people are probably pretty right in what their gut’s telling them,”
said

That said, people also have some misconceptions that might keep them from getting help early,
said Dr. Terrence Philbin, a surgeon who works at Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in
Westerville.

“People say, ‘If I can walk on it, I’m sure that it’s OK,’ and that’s not necessarily true,”
Philbin said.

The same goes for the idea that if you can wiggle your toes, your foot is just fine.

Philbin said obvious signs that medical attention is needed include:

• Bleeding under the toenail.

• A fracture that protrudes through the skin (or any other open cut).

• Swelling that makes it hard to fit into a shoe.

• A possible fracture that goes into a joint.

Dr. Jonathan Feibel, a foot and ankle surgeon with Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute (this week the
practice will become Orthopedic ONE), said it’s always a good idea to at least call your doctor
before writing off a foot injury as nothing. Signs that you should definitely go in for evaluation
include significant swelling and bruising and pain that doesn’t subside after a few days, he
said.

If the injury is from the webbing of the toes out, there’s no deformity in the toe and it’s just
swollen with some pain, there’s probably not much that can be done for the toe other than “buddy”
taping it to the next toe and the standard RICE treatment — rest, ice, compression and
elevation.

Once injuries creep farther up the foot toward the ankle, things tend to get more
complicated.

Breaks in the metatarsals (the bones that run from the base of the toe up the midfoot) rarely
need surgical help and often can benefit from a walking boot or sometimes a cast, Klingele
said.

Displaced fractures — those in which the bone no longer lines up properly — are relatively rare,
especially among young people, he said.

One of the more-serious foot problems is called a Lisfranc injury, named for a French surgeon.
The name might be familiar if you’re an NFL fan: These injuries often befall professional athletes
who twist and fall on one of their feet.

Lisfranc injuries can include broken bones and torn ligaments and can require surgery and a
lengthy recovery.

Despite how serious they can be, these injuries often are mistaken at first for a sprain before
lingering problems prompt another look, Feibel said. A red flag for a Lisfranc injury is an obvious
bruise on the bottom of the foot.

“Most minor injuries are going to be a lot better in a week or two. If you’re still limping
after two weeks, it’s something more than just a minor strain or sprain,” said Dr. Bryan Ghiloni, a
family physician who specializes in sports medicine.

“If there’s any question, I ask (patients) to come in and let me take a look at them,” said
Ghiloni, who works with the Mount Carmel Medical Group in New Albany.

Tenderness right over a bone and not in the nearby soft tissue can be a sign of a break, as can
pain when the end of the toe is pushed or pulled, he said.

“A lot of times, we do just some minimal splinting, but if those fractures go into a joint or
rotate, they may end up with some long-term pain problems,” Ghiloni said.

“You really have got to take care of your feet. You’re using them every day.”